[Lying needling from Nanjing for malar melasma: a randomized controlled trial]

To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of lying needling from Nanjing (Classic of Difficult Issues) in treating malar melasma.

A total of 78 patients with malar melasma were randomized into a lying needling group (39 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a sham acupuncture group (39 cases, 1 case was eliminated). Routine care was adopted in both groups. In the lying needling group, lying needling from Nanjing was applied, the malar melasma area and bilateral Erjian (LI2), Neiting (ST44), Qiangu (SI2), etc. were selected. In the sham acupuncture group, sham acupuncture with blunt-tip needle was applied at the same acupoints. Both groups were treated once daily, 3 times a week for 3 weeks. The scores of melasma area and severity index (MASI), dermatology life quality index (DLQI), skin lesion symptom, and infrared temperature of the melasma area were observed before and after treatment; the clinical efficacy and safety were evaluated after treatment in both groups.

After treatment, the MASI and skin lesion symptom scores were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.001), and the infrared temperature of the melasma area was increased compared with that before treatment in the lying needling group (P<0.001); the DLQI scores were decreased compared with those before treatment in both groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). The differences in the MASI score, skin lesion symptom score, and infrared temperature of the melasma area before and after treatment in the lying needling group were greater than those in the sham acupuncture group (P<0.001). The total effective rate was 89.5% (34/38) in the lying needling group, which was higher than 31.6% (12/38) in the sham acupuncture group (P<0.05). No adverse events occurred in the two groups.

Lying needling from Nanjing can effectively treat malar melasma, improve patients' clinical symptoms and quality of life, with good safety.